Take-off mechanism



Nov. 21, 1950 H. w. PRoTzl-:LLER

TAKE-OFF MECHANISM e Smets-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1947 Nov. 2l, 1950 H.W. PROTZELLER TAKE-OFF MECHANISM Filed Nov. 21, 1947 Jn/Ways H. w.PRoTzl-:LLER 2,530,589

TAKE-0FF MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 2l, 1950 Filed Nov. 21, 1947 y@JM bww fa/Weys Nov. 2l, 1950 H. w. PRo'rzl-:LLER 2,530,589

TAKE-OFF MECHANISM Filed Nov. 21, 1947 e sheets-sheet 4 2 ZT/Z194 6 f2Nov. 2l, 1950 H. w. PRoTzELLl-:R

TAKE-OFF MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 2l, 1947 Nov. 21, 1950 H.w. PRoTzELLER TAKE-OFF MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 21, 1947 m/s um. 0 e Smm. w :1 i :T j .lun H U M Vxlllkmm ma *M NN .NRI f 0IwwwwnhniUNSW.. ununfw. 70 www @wm w@ .Q

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 TAXE- OFF MECHAN ISM Harry W. Frotzeller,Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee,Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Appiication November 21, 1947, SerialNo. 787,319

(o1. 1mi- 45) 8 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in take-off devices available forrailroad use, and has for one purpose to provide means for readily andquickly removing heavy track working equipment from the rails of atrack, to permit the passage of trains.

Another purpose is to provide improved takeoi means for the removal ofrail-supported track working equipment.

Another purpose is to provide takeoii means which include rails forsupporting the equipment after it has been removed from the rails of atrack.

Another purpose is to provide an improved take-ofi means which needs aminimum number of men to operate it.

Another purpose is to provide a take-oli .means of minimum weight andcumbrousness.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

I illustrate the invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with the rails of the track in transversesection;

Fig. 2 is a plan View;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial plan view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line I-'i of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section. on an enlarged scale on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a partial side elevation illustrating the parts in inoperativeposition;

Fig. l0 is a plan view of a take-oit rail;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig.

Fig. l2 is a side elevation of another rail takeoiT element; and

Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the element shown in Fig. 12.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates the ground along theright-of-way. 2 indicates a tie and 3, 3 track rails secured to the tie.Movably and removably mounted between the rails 3 is an elevator base.As shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, such base includes opposite side angleelements 4 and v5 to which are secured insulating base blocks 6.Extending between the side angles 4 and 5 is a cross structure havingside members 'I and braces 8, a top plate 9 and a bottom plate I Ei.Mounted on the ends of the angles 4, 5 are centering brackets IIupwardly notched as at i2. It will be noted that the side angles areinwardly bent at their end portions, which are therefore spaced somewhatinwardly from the track rails.

Extending between the top and bottom plates il and IQ of the crossmember, and secured to the side members 'l is the sleeve I5 whichcarries at its lower end a plate i S which supports a cylinder il inwhich is positioned a piston I8. rEhe piston rod I3 extends up throughany suitable packing Zi! and supports an elevator disk or plate il shownas having diametrically opposed stops or centering members 22. Z3 is anysuitable pressure inlet or duct through which a suitable fluid may beadmitted below the piston i8 in order to raise the plate ZI from thefull line to the dotted line position of Fig. 7. The plate ZI alsocarries a telescoping sleeve 2a which rides within the sleeve I5. Itwill be understood that any suitable source of iiuid pressure may beapplied together with any suitable control means therefor, not hereinshown.

It will be understood that the above described assembly can bepositioned by a work crew at any desired point along the rail of thetrack, a suiiicient clearance along the right-oi-way being made toreceive the lower end of the sleeve i5 and its plate I6, which extendinto the right-ofway between a pair of adjacent ties. Note, as in Figs.'7 and 8, that the blocks ii are so placed that the ends of thecross-piece clear the inner faces of the top iianges of the rails 3.There is thus no interference with the wheels of the cars of passingtrains.

Assuming that a train is coming and it is desired to remove a heavypiece of equipment, l. provide a take-oilc rail system to receive theequipment to be removed. As shown in Figs. 2, l2 and 13, I provideindividual cross rails, each of which is in the form of an I beam withthe vertical flange AG, a top flange 4I and a bottom ange 4Z. Iillustrate an end cut-away portion 43, an intermediate cut-away portionlll and re inforcements 45 for the top flange 4I at the cutawayportions. I also employ rail-engaging,r angle additions 45, M, of whichone is provided with insulating blocks 4B. It will thus be clear thatthe take-01T rails can be dropped on the top of the track rails, in theposition in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 12, the take-off railsbeing received in and spaced by the top notches I2 of the guides I Iabove described. This will be clear as in Fig. 9. The ends of thetake-ofi rails crearse :2 have cross pins l adapted to be received innotches 55a in securing plates 5!! which are secured to the end ofterminal or continuing takeoi rails l. The rails ill have spacedparallel vertical end plates 52 provided with apertures 53 to receiveholding pins 56 secured to retaining chains 55. E5 is a verticalreinforcing guiding plate between the parallel plates 52.

Any suitable means may be employed for securing or supporting take-olfrails. I illustrate, for example, an intermediate and verticallyadjustable support A and the outer and vertically adjustable support B.The support A is illustrated generally in Fig. 3 and includes telescopicmembers Gil, tl and 52 with adjusting and securing bolts 63. The supportB is shown in Fig. 4

and includes vertical square uprights 'le aper-` tured along the sidesas at 'Il to receive the securing pins 56. As will be clear from Fig. 5the parts are so proportioned that the side plates 52 embrace the squarevertical supports le. Thus the run-off or take-ori rails can be adjustedat any desired level. Any suitable bracing structure generally indicatedas Si) may be employed. If desired, the intermediate support A may beanchored to the rail as by a hook 8l and the chain 82.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and claimed apractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made insize,

shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the scopeof my invention.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Track working equipment of substantial weight may be used on railroadtracks and may be supported and conveyed along the rails of a railroadtrack. As examples, I may mention cribbing machines and other machineswhich operate on the ballast or along the right-of-'way of a railroadtrack, It is frequently important to remove such equipment. A problem ispresented by the fact that while the equipment may be heavy, theoperating crew may be small in numbers, and the equipment may be used atpoints removed from railroad cranes or overhead handling material. Thestructure herein shown can be assembled and operated quickly andefficiently by a small crew. The basic member or elevator which goesbetween the rails of a railroad track, as shown, for

example, in Figs. 'l and 8, is of such weight that it can be easilyhandled by two or at the most three men. All of the other elements aresubstantially lighter and are formed for easy handling and for quickadjustment. The heaviest element, which goes between the rails, is soformed and proportioned, that it can be left in place during the passageof a train. Assuming that the crew wishes to move the unit, the takeoffor cross rails shown in Figs. l0, ll, and l2, 13, are dropped in theposition in which they are shown in Fig. l, and are secured to theproperly adjusted supports A and B. The equipment to be removed ispreviously spotted over the elevator and an appropriate lower portionthereof is engaged by the lifting or elevator plate 2l and the centeringmembers 22. Pressure is admitted through the duct resulting in theelevation of the equipment in question. It is then rotated until itswheels are vertically aligned with the supplemental or take-off rails,It is then moved outwardly, as shown in Fig. l, and may be parkedoutwardly close to the end support B. The inner take-off rails, whichactually span the track rails 3 are then removed. This is a quickoperation,

since all that is necessary is to lift thein upwardly, and they are ofsuch weight as to be capable of being handled by a single man. Theequipment is then supported outwardly away from the track and when thetrain goes by, the previously removed take-off rails can be replaced andthe equipment, shown at X in Fig. 1, can be returned to the track rails.

I claim:

l. In a take-orf mechanism for track-working equipment, includingvehicles having flanged Wheels, a readily removable base formed andadapted to span the space between the two rails oi a railroad track,said railroad track rails being adapted to receive the flanged wheels ofsuch vehicles, a turntable on said base, an elevating mechanism for saidturntable adapted to elevate the turntable with a vehicle supportedthereon, a run-off track structure positioned laterally of said railroadtrack, having rails of the general gauge of the track rails and of thesaid flanged wheels and removable rails adapted to span the spacebetween said run-cir track rails and the rails of the railroad track andformed to be applied and positioned after elevation and rotation of saidturntable, said removable rails, when in vehicle receiving position,spanning and resting upon the rails of said railroad track, saidturntable being formed and adapted to engage a part of the vehiclebetween the rails of the railroad track, said turntable being betweensaid removable rails when said removable rails are aligned with saidrun-oit` track structure.

2. The structure of claim l, characterized by and including a baseremovably centered between the rails of a track and formed and adaptedto clear all parts or" a passing train, whereby said base may safely beleft in position during the passage of a train.

3. The structure of claim l, characterized by and including a run-offtrack structure having longitudinally extensible supporting membersadapted to support portions of said run-ofi track structure insubstantially a common plane with said take-off rails.

fi. lThe structure of claim l, characterized by and including a run-offtrack structure having independently adjustable supports at each end,the support closest to the railroad track terminating below the wheelsupporting surface of the rails of the run-01T track structure.

5. The structure of claim l, characterized by and including run-olirails formed and adapted to spa-n the rails of the railroad track andhaving at one end laterally extending continuing portions of suihcientlength to bridge the distance between the railroad track and the run-olftrack structure, said laterally extending portions being formed andadapted to be applied and positioned after elevation and rotation of theturntable.

6. The structure of claim l, characterized by and including removablerails having downwardly extending portions adapted to enter the spacebetween the rails of the railroad track, thereby to position theremovable rails in a predetermined relation to the rails of the railroadtrack, said removable rails being formed and adapted to be applied andpositioned after elevation and rotation of the turntable.

7. The structure of claim l, characterized by and including insulatingsupporting connections between said removable rails and one of the railsof the railroad track.

8. In a take-olf mechanism for track-working equipment, includingvehicles having anged wheels, a readily removable base formed andadapted to span the space between the two rails of a railroad track,said railroad track rails being adapted to receive the flanged wheels ofsuch Vehicles, a turntable on said base, an elevating mechanism for saidturntable adapted to elevate the turntable with a vehicle supportedthereon, a run-off track structure positioned laterally of said railroadtrack, having rails of the general gauge of the track rails and of thesaid flanged wheels, and removable rails adapted to span the spacebetween said run-off track rails and the rails of the railroad track andformed to be applied and positioned after elevation and rotation of saidturntable, said removable rails, when in vehicle receiving position,spanning and resting upon the rails of said railroad track, andincluding portions engaging in interpenetrating relationship with saidbase, said turntable being formed and adapted to engage a part of theVehicle between the rails of the railroad track, said turntable beingbetween said removable rails when said removable rails are aligned withsaid l0 run-off track structure.

HARRY W. PROTZELLER.

No references cited.

